MONTREAL -- The Canadian city of Montreal has allocated more than $35 million to make a special anti-gang squad a year-round operation, officials said.

For the past four years, about 50 police officers worked the program from summer through fall but Claude Dauphin, public-security chairman for Montreal Island, told reporters it will become a full-time operation within two weeks, The Gazette reported.

The $35.5 million covers the operation for five years, he said.

Montreal police estimate there are about 20 gangs in the city, with 400-500 hard-core members. So far this year, police attribute five killings and 12 attempted slayings to street-gang activities, while last year, 54 of 99 attempted murders were listed as gang-related, the newspaper said.